Potter Row. 1848.

This original antique hand coloured steel engraving depicts Potter Row, Edinburgh — an ancient street lying just south of the Old Town, connecting the Cowgate to the Meadows — drawn by Sir Daniel Wilson and engraved by T. Steuart for his landmark work Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, published in 1848.

What makes this print exceptionally rare and desirable is its beautiful original hand colouring — the vast majority of prints from this series were issued in black and white, and hand coloured examples are considerably scarcer and more sought after by collectors. The colouring brings Potter Row’s ancient buildings, street scene, and sky to vivid life, producing a richly atmospheric image of one of Edinburgh’s lesser-known but historically significant streets.

Potter Row — named for the potters who once worked in the area — was one of the oldest streets in Edinburgh’s southern suburbs, lying just outside the city’s ancient walls and forming part of the historic boundary between the Old Town and the open ground of the Burgh Muir beyond.

By Wilson’s time the street retained much of its ancient character, and his careful documentation of its buildings preserves a picture of a corner of Edinburgh that has since been entirely transformed. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication.

Subscript: Lower Left: D. Wilson. Lower Right: T. Steuart. Lower Center: Potter Row.

Author: Sir Daniel Wilson, F. R. S. S. A. (1816–1892)

Publication: Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time. By Daniel Wilson, F. S. S. A. Acting Secretary to the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland.

Volume: 2

Publisher: Hugh Paton / Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.

Place of Publication: Adam Square, Edinburgh / London

Date: 1848

Artist: Sir Daniel Wilson, F. R. S. S. A. (1816–1892)

Engraver: T. Steuart

Page Number: Between pages 124–125

Paper Dimensions: 9 ⅞ x 12 ¼ inches

Medium: Steel Engraving

Language: English

Coloured: Hand coloured

Condition: The print is in great condition and beautifully coloured, with some very minor wear across the print and around the edges, including some creases in the thin paper on top, as can be seen. The print is on a thin paper which has been adhered to a thicker paper for publication, as can be seen.

Reference: Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time, HathiTrust Digital Library